Emerging reports suggest that former Minister of State, Defence, Sen Musiliu Obanikoro has refunded N30 million naira to government, with a promise to return more.

Sources at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revealed that Obanikoro who at the commission’s office on Monday, presented a

draft of about N30m. The latest return now brings the total amount he has refunded to the anti-graft agency to N134 million. Obanikoro was accused of receiving N4.7 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

From his base outside the country, he had initially talked tough when reports over the issue hit the airwaves. But on his return to Nigeria last month after spending about 15 months in the United States, he reported to the anti-graft commission, and since then has reportedly been singing different tones, even indicting the Ekiti State governor in the process.

The EFCC source explained that the commission was not keen on receiving the money from him, which was considered too meagre compared with what he is accused of having benefited form the deal, but shifted position based on advice from its legal
department. It was also learnt that Obanikoro is still to make a further return of N450 million to the commission, which he has accepted and promised to pay in 2017.

EFCC had claimed in October that Obanikoro returned N104 million to the commission, after he was arrested, interrogated and detained. He had allegedly claimed in his statement on oath at the EFCC that after receiving the money in 2014, he gave N1.219 billion to Fayose the then governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, while N1.3bn was given to the PDP

candidate in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore. He further claimed that he gave Fayose a separate $5.377 million at Spotless Hotel in Ekiti State in the presence of party leaders including the then PDP Secretary, Mr. Tope Aluko.